An Umbrella for All Occasions (enlarge photo)

Growing up in a small town in Canada, I frequently saw umbrellas when it rained. Simple enough. When I moved to Taiwan, I also saw umbrellas when it rained. However, something puzzling also became apparent. I saw umbrellas on non-rainy days. With increasing frequency, I saw umbrellas on days that showed no sign of rain whatsoever. I saw umbrellas on sunny days; windy and cloudy days too. In fact, I believe that I've seen umbrellas for every occasion imaginable.

That said, what makes this photo special? To me, it all begins with the colours and pattern of the umbrella. The burst of colour centered in the image is certainly the obvious theme of the photo. However, the image also shows signs of subtlety too. The buildings in the background are clearly lit by soft, warm, late-afternoon light ... yet the foreground is wet, indicating the recent rain (justifying the presence of the umbrella in this case too.) The hints of femininity escaping below the edge of the umbrella complete the scene for me.

For those interested, this photo was taken during the 2001 Dragon Boat Festival that was held in the Bitan area of Hsintien, in Taipei County, Taiwan.